Neurotypical Disorder = Plethism

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Say it with me: PLEE-thism!

NTism as a pathological neuropsychology could well be called Plethism, just as they concocted the label Autism. In Modern Greek auto means self ... and πλήθος (plethos -- the E is long, eta in Modern Greek, pronounced ee) means CROWD, and according to Google Translate [Grain-of-salt alert!], is the exact word to describe a school of fish, πλήθος ιχθύων, plethos ichthywn.

Adjective = Plethistic?

Now do we have a handle to drive some research? Better ideas?

Pete

I'm all in favor of Aspie pride, but labeling anyone who ISN'T autistic as pathological isn't the answer.

Of course. Only when it's pathological. But seriously, weren't we all taught not to "go along with the crowd" or "put up a front"? Yet when most people do so, they just gang up on those of us who took them seriously. So is it really diagnosis by Majority Rule? If everybody does it, or more than half, or the plurality, it's OK? "...And if everybody else jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you jump too?" -- who hasn't heard that in their lives?

Realistically, not all NTism is equally problematic. Hey, Plethistic Spectrum Disorders!?

I'm not a fan of the label Neurotypical. I don't like the concept of Autistic versus Normal. Pathological implies disease, and if you say Autism isn't a disease, than neither is being Neurotypical. Of course, labeling things helps us to understand them better, so I'm all for monikers like Aspergian or Autistic or Plethistic, becasue if I
have Autism, then they have Plethism.

Let's just embrace the fact we've all got different wiring, and try to better understand our fellow man?

The word Autism is derogatory. The full import of the etymology just occurred to me, the term is defining the disorder as a state of mind/perception where one so diagnosed is 'self' centered, a definition that is rather problematic. Wow, so obvious and yet it didn't occur to me in that way.

That is a very good point. I noticed that when I first learned the etymology, but it quickly slipped my mind.

I see Autism as more of confined to self, rather than only intentionally caring about themselves, as most people view the term self centered or selfish.

And the opposite from self centered Narcissism; more likely a frightened soul. Some people use the term timid but that also suggests intention and weakness.

Unfortunately, to the casual observer, it is often viewed as self centered or selfish, without the understanding that some of us would love to escape into the world if only we could.

I don't think it is a problem though for a person that experiences life this way, as long as they can adapt to life as they see it their way.

BTW, Plethism is a fantastic fauxrogatory word.

There, now this thread has two new words to digest - Plethistic and fauxrogatory.

I love this idea!

I think it's best to use the word to describe non-autistic society as a whole-- as in "the plethism of humanity"-- and neurotypical to describe the individual who subscribes to plethism. As in,

John is a neurotypical.

John is part of the pervasive plethism of society.

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The autistic is the rugged individualist and because of that is labelled a social deviant. The neurotypical person on the other hand blindly follows the crowd and cannot make any decision for himself for fear of not fitting in.

Seriously, Andro, are you trolling? That's a level of blatant propagandizing that I find seriously hard to swallow as being stated genuinely by anyone over the age of fourteen capable of successfully stringing sentences together unless some serious brainwashing is involved.

Well, if you want to get technical, most any behavior can be pathological.

Definition of PATHOLOGICAL
1: of or relating to pathology
2: altered or caused by disease; also : indicative of disease
3: being such to a degree that is extreme, excessive, or markedly abnormal <a pathological liar> <pathological fear>

Pathological need for small talk comes immediately to mind... poking fun, of course. I would never relate the total immersion in personal interests to the constant need to talk about nothing with others.

I don't think Andro meant to apply this to *everybody* who is autistic or NT. I think it likely he is well aware he was making a generalization. I believe, with all due respect, that some people on here are way too sensitive to these types of statements which are quite common on the forum and don't necessarily reflect overwhelming arrogance on part of the poster, more of an exhuastion from a lifetime of dealing with the same situations of unjustified hurt and rejection from other people.

And... well... in my experience what Andro says is kinda right a lot of the time. If not most of the time. As a general rule of thumb, I agree with him unapologetically.

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To me everything is pathological and especially normal because it can create or assist in creating a said abnormality by means of direct and or indirect causality.

Ya know, there is a difference between "disorder" and "personal weakness". A disorder is way more than just that.

Theoretically Plethism can be a very disabilitating mental disorder. But since society accepts this mental illness the side effects of depression do not result.